Monday, September 26, 2016

Reading for entertainment is extra beneficial when it is also educational. I love this aspect of cozies, and DANDELION DEAD and its series, NATURAL REMEDIES MYSTERIES, is both educational and entertaining, teaching readers while delivering a compelling and engrossing mystery. Characters are well-fleshed out, and quickly seem realistic and true-to-life. Although this is #4 in the series, the author weaves in sufficient backstory to bring the history of her characters to readers. I loved learning about herbs, homeopathy, and wine-making.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Pumpkins in Paradise
by Kathi Daley
… everything about fall in it all wrapped up with a mystery … Its a quick read too, but a very enjoyable one.
~A Chick Who Reads
The mystery was very well plotted and truly was puzzling. I love the way the hidden clues were found and were not easy to solve.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
I loved this book for several reasons…The characters are well done and easy to relate to, the setting in a small town with a resort by a mountain lake. You can’t ask for anything better.
~Sleuth Cafe
The characters are fun and the author keeps you held into the story from the very first page.
~Shelley’s Book Case
I enjoyed the setting and the characters and solving puzzles which occur throughout the book.
~Laura’s Interests
This is a wonderful story. you really get to know all of the people in this town. You go through a gamut of emotions with the happy times and the sad times.
~T’s Stuff
I absolutely loved this fun cozy mystery.
~Brooke Blogs
If you have not read a book from this author, you are really missing out on great stories that captivate an audience with words that dance across the pages with adventure.
~Texas Book-aholic
This book was a great and interesting adventure …
~Community Bookstop
Pumpkins in Paradise put me in the mood for fall – especially the cooler weather and change of colors. Kathi Daley sets a beautiful scene and fills it with warm characters that are a delight for readers to get to know.
~The Girl with Book Lungs
PUMPKINS-IN-PARADISE-by-Kathi-Daley
Pumpkins in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 1)
Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: Henery Press; Second edition (September 6, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1635110890
E-Book ASIN: B01GQPYU8U
goodreads-badge-add-plus
Synopsis
Between volunteering for the annual pumpkin festival and coaching her girls to the state soccer finals, high school teacher Tj Jensen finds her good friend Zachary Collins dead in his favorite chair. When the handsome new deputy closes the case without so much as a “why” or “how,” Tj turns her attention from chili cook-offs and pumpkin carving to complex puzzles, prophetic riddles, and a decades-old secret she seems destined to unravel.
Henery Press is releasing the 1st 6 books in this series on September 6, 2016
Snowmen in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 2)
Winter Carnival comes to Serenity, and with it Tj finds her schedule busier than ever. Not only is her ski and snowboard team heavily involved in demonstrations and local competitions, but her ragtag choir is about to debut in their first live performance. To make matters even more complicated, someone has killed Travis Davidson, a town favorite son, world-class snowboarder, and Olympic hopeful. Tj is determined not to get involved in the subsequent investigation until she learns the prime suspect is Chelsea Hanson, high-school boyfriend Hunter Hanson’s sister.
Although there’s no shortage of Sereninites with a grudge against the hometown hero, even Tj has to admit there’s good cause to suspect Chelsea of the murder. Balancing bridesmaid duties, Winter Carnival obligations, show choir duty, and after-hours investigation, Tj sets out to prove Chelsea innocent.
Bikinis in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 3)
When the Tropical Tan Corporation descends on Maggie’s Hideaway, the lakeside resort where Tj Jensen lives, she must juggle a bikini contest, a BBQ cook-off, a missing model, and a dead chaperone while her father is out of town. Lead Deputy Dylan Caine is on vacation while his sister is visiting, leaving Assistant Deputy Roy Fisher in charge. When Roy asks Tj for her help they find there may be more going on than anyone realized. With Kyle and Jenna’s help, they dig into the lives of those involved, only to find a mystery more complex than anything they could ever have imagined.
Christmas in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 4) Christmas in Serenity is a magical time of year Tj has always looked forward to with happy anticipation. This year her holiday spirit is marred by the impending arrival of two new men in her life. When one of them ends up dead, Tj must juggle community plays, Christmas tree cuttings, sleigh rides, and holiday shopping with a complex murder investigation. As the facts begin to unravel, she realizes she may have to risk everything to save someone she loves.
Puppies in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 5)
When a friend of Tj’s is injured in a car accident during a blizzard, Tj takes responsibility for the litter of puppies left behind. Meanwhile, she works with Kyle, Jenna, and the gang to catch the person responsible for the death of a close family friend. When it turns out that the main suspects are also close to the Jensens, Tj must deal with one of the most difficult decisions she’s ever had to make.
Halloween in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 6)
In the midst of the annual Halloween frenzy, Tj finds herself pulled into a series of events at the high school where she works. Not only must she help one of the girls on her team deal with a case of cyberbullying, but she must help a student who has recently suffered a personal tragedy. And as if Tj wasn’t busy enough, in walks Samantha Colton, a reporter for Second Look, a television series that takes a look back at unsolved murders. This time the case is the death of a popular student after the homecoming dance ten years before. To make matters even worse—or maybe more convenient—the graduating class of the victim is in town for their ten-year reunion and all the suspects just happen to have converged on Serenity for the weekend. When Samantha turns up dead, Tj must track down someone who seems willing to kill again to keep their secret.
• TREASURE IN PARADISE (#7) April 2017
*Just click on Covers to order from Amazon
KathiDaley
About the Author
Author of the Zoe Donovan cozy Mystery Series, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery series, Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Series, Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Cozy Mystery Series.
Come for the murder, stay for the romance.
Kathi lives in the beautiful alpine community of Lake Tahoe with her husband Ken and dog Echo. When she’s not writing she enjoys hanging out on the beach with her children and grandchildren. During the summer she enjoys hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, wakeboarding, and sunset cruises on the lake. During the winter she enjoys cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and curling up by a fire with a good book.
Kathi uses her mountain home as inspiration for her books, all which include appearances by the wildlife she shares her life with.
Visit Kathi Daley:
Blog – http://kathidaleyblog.com
Facebook at Kathi Daley Books, www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks
Kathi Daley Teen – www.facebook.com/kathidaleyteen
Kathi Daley Books Group Page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/569578823146850/
Kathi Daley Books Birthday Club- get a book on your birthday – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1040638412628912/
Kathi Daley Recipe Exchange – https://www.facebook.com/groups/752806778126428/
Webpage – www.kathidaley.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278377.Kathi_Daley
Twitter at Kathi Daley@kathidaley – https://twitter.com/kathidaley
Tumblr – http://kathidaleybooks.tumblr.com/
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/kathidaley/
PURCHASE LINKS – Amazon
Books in the Tj Jensen Mystery Series:
• PUMPKINS IN PARADISE (#1)
• SNOWMEN IN PARADISE (#2)
• BIKINIS IN PARADISE (#3)
• CHRISTMAS IN PARADISE (#4)
• PUPPIES IN PARADISE (#5)
• HALLOWEEN IN PARADISE (#6)
• TREASURE IN PARADISE (#7) April 2017
Barnes and Noble
Books in the Tj Jensen Mystery Series:
• PUMPKINS IN PARADISE (#1)
• SNOWMEN IN PARADISE (#2)
• BIKINIS IN PARADISE (#3) link not up yet
• CHRISTMAS IN PARADISE (#4) link not up yet
• PUPPIES IN PARADISE (#5)
• HALLOWEEN IN PARADISE (#6)
• TREASURE IN PARADISE (#7) April 2017
Tour Participants
August 31 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
August 31 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
September 1 – Queen of All She Reads – GUEST POST
September 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 2 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW
September 2 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
September 3 – Author Annette Drake’s Blog – INTERVIEW
September 3 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
September 4 – Ashleyz Wonderland – REVIEW
September 4 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – T’s Stuff – REVIEW
September 5 – Christa Reads and Writes – GUEST POST
September 5 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW
September 6 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
September 7 – The Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW
September 7 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
September 8 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST
September 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 9 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
Count Down to Paradise Launch Event - https://www.facebook.com/events/848072505336998/
Pumpkins in Paradise Book Club - https://www.facebook.com/events/1408072279209347/
Pumpkins in Paradise by Kathi Daley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review of PUMPKINS IN PARADISE by Kathi Daley (TJ Jensen Mystery #1

What a winner! I love cozy mysteries, and this start of a new cozy series is just great! I'm reminded of an Agatha Christie village mystery, had Agatha set it in Nevada's mountain beauty, beside a picturesque lake. TJ Jensen is a great lady, a great friend, and a wonderful choice for heroine. In tiny Serenity, Nevada, she is part of a close-knit family which owns and operates "Maggie's Hideaway," a lakeside resort. When a very good friend passes without notice or expectation, a reclusive individual TJ befriended as a child--a man who taught her to exercise her mind and to love numbers and logic puzzles--TJ is not only distraught, but convinced someone had a hand in an untimely death. Fall is nearing, and this is the perfect time to settle in with a fall-themed mystery-puzzle set in one of the most beautiful locales I can imagine. Author Kathi Daley writes with flair and grace, and I can't wait to acquire future mysteries in this wonderfully endearing, quality series.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

A truly delightful children's text-and-picture book, this is the story of a little boy's cat, Purrball, who travels to Brazil with his family for a year. Somehow at the airport during a tremor, Purrball, attached to Mom's phone, escapes into the jungle. There he serendipitously meets a sloth, whom he names Burrball. Together they adventure and eventually reunite with the family. The illustrations are wonderful and the text is almost rhyming. This is a really enjoyable story, suitable for young readers and for the younger "read to me" stage. I hope it is the start of a series.

Buy links:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Purrball-Meets-Burrball-Brazil-Anne/dp/0997383704/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471024911&sr=1-1&keywords=purrball+meets+burrball+in+brazil
BOOKING INFO
Megan Renart | megan@prbythebook.com |(512) 534-7700
TALKING POINTS
How to travel safely with your pet this summer
Garden secrets to keep fleas out of your house (think: lavender, lemongrass, mint, sage)
Scratch proof your life: how to keep your cat from ruining furniture
Tips for finding a lost cat: what you might not have considered
Three fun cat toy crafts to do with your child!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Visiting Brazil, an earthquake hits and separates a family from their beloved cat, Purrball. Purrball’s mad dash leaves her lost in a jungle where she becomes fast friends with a very clever sloth named Burrball. The two quick-witted animals embark on a journey to find Darryl, the loving and loyal boy who longs for his adorable missing cat. Witty word rhythms and rich illustrations make Purrball Meets Burrball in Brazil an engaging read-aloud story. An alluring tale of friendship, family, ingenuity, and persistence.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Zoet is a freelance creative director in Silicon Valley. She studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, the Universite de Bordeaux, and the University of California, Santa Cruz, and graduated with a BA in art history. Anne is passionate about animals, art, travel, and the environment. She also enjoys salsa dancing, building cat furniture and housing, cooking, and gardening. Learn more about Anne’s cat expertise at radlilcat.com. Anne lives in Santa Cruz and shares her home with three cats.
Suggested Interview Questions Anne Zoet author of Purrball Meets Burrball in Brazil1.What inspired you to write this book?The story hit me on a day that I took out for myself away from my high tech work. I was having a massage, which is when I zone-out and don’t think about anything. Oddly, this time, I started creating the Purrball and Burrball storyline the more and more I unwound. I was so relaxed that the whole thing unfolded start to finish. 2.How would you describe the characters of Purrball and Burrball? Smart, kind, resourceful and they’re team players. Animals are invariably way more clever than we humans give them credit for. I’ve seen my cats use incredible logic to alter a situation they’re in. I once had a cat run away in a place she didn’t know (the worst weeks of my life searching every day) but she found her way back, though completely unfamiliar with the surroundings. I have another cat, my outdoor cat, who you can see trotting alongside opossums and raccoons in evenings. That scared me so much at first, but eventually we’ve come to see that he has a real relationship with them. He’s so smart and the more I see the wildlife interact with him, the more I see them as clever and accepting and even friendly. The Purrball and Burrball characters came to me before I moved to this area and could witness my cat and his outdoor adventures. But this experience really solidified how Purrball and Burrball should be portrayed as a team. I think that my cat’s experiences with wildlife show that animals are capable of very unexpected bonds with one another. 3.Why did you choose to write about a cat and a sloth?I’m crazy about both domestic and wild animals and it is a passion that just gets deeper all the time. I’ve done a lot of research on cats (on nutrition and behavior) as well as love to build cat structures and make toys for them. And, I do not know who could look at a sloth and not smile! They have the sweetest faces and they have so much more to them than the “ sloth” slowness we think of. They’re rather industrious buggers and have some funny quirks, like the wildlife that grows in their fur. I firmly believe they should never be pets and should be kept wild. While the story is pure fantasy (as are stories where animals communicate with phones!), I really want to keep one a pet and the other wild and be true to my feelings about that and it would be so lovely to pass all that along to children! 4.How do Purrball and Burrball use technology in the book?Purrball, the cat, is unable to send a critical text message, so she asks Burrball, the sloth, if he could tap with his toes to write it. Maybe that’s my wish: I wish my cats would find a way to text me what they’re thinking, lol. 5.Why did you decide to set the story in Brazil?It had to be set in the natural habitat of a sloth. I’ve always wanted to see a Brazilian rainforest, so I just created my own. It is roughly in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and their plane arrives in Sao Paulo. Earthquakes are incredibly rare in that region, so all the more surprising that one happens when they arrive. After setting my sights on this area, I’ve seen dozens of photos of both Sao Paulo and the Atlantic Forest that make me long to go there! It is on my bucket list.
6.What does your writing process look like?It’s very interesting that verse isn’t the first thing that comes out. I think it all through with as much rhyme as possible, but just let the story be written in prose for a few versions until the story gels. I can picture the scenery faster than I can create a rhyme. 7.What was the most rewarding moment you experienced in writing Purrball Meets Burrball in Brazil?It was seeing the art that kids created from my coloring pages! I always loved to draw and I didn’t find coloring pages that interesting as a kid. Now that I’ve seen what some kids have come up with (like one used a gold pen to make a gold mobile phone), I think it can be very creative. I look forward to some freehand drawings, if kids post any to my site (and there’s an option for that at purrballandburrball.com). 8.What was the biggest challenge you faced in writing this book?I’ve done a lot of digital art, but all for technology-related purposes, so letting things take shape (and learning from a very good freehand artist) was new, challenging, and not always what I had wished it would be until I found my style. 9.You also illustrated Purrball Meets Burrball in Brazil. How did illustrating the book compare to writing it?It was a bit easier, given that I’m familiar with creating digital art for business purposes. To have artistic license was amazing and both writing and illustrating were very creative and fulfilling. In sum, illustrating was easier for me than writing, but both were much lengthier than I had ever imagined. I spent a good six months pulling both together. 10.Did any of your three cats influence the character of Purrball, either in physical likeness or personality?All three: one has the coloring of Purrball (I love grey kitties, although I suppose Purrball is a bit blue, really) and she has some cute characteristics—the scene where Purrball is looking up curiously at Burrball is so her! I have another onn who is a squat and roundish cat with intense eyes and sitting frontally she looks like a black and white version of Purrball. And the last cat is the most clever cat you could imagine. I rolled them all into one. 11.What drew you to writing and illustrating a children’s book?My niece and nephew were recently of picture book age andI loved reading to them. I fell in love with books that were both beautiful and cleverly written and also reminded me of the years we live with unconstrained imagination. I love that animals are a big part of books for children. I figured I had a lot to say that could help kids fall in love with animals, like I did from a very early age. 12.What is the key to attracting young readers?It’s letting yourself be one for a moment—a good picture book can transport you back there. 13.When did your interest in writing begin? What about your interest in illustration?Recently, my dad reminded me of the “ novel” I wrote and illustrated when I was in fourth grade and a few years ago he found my kindergarten poetry and illustrations. I guess I had it in me a while. He always told me I should write. I didn’t pay much attention to that, but like him, art has been a part of my studies and career and learning to illustrate children’s books is such a logical path in my life.

Friday, September 2, 2016

Tension between environmentalists and developers, between wildlife supporters and sporting enthusiasts, is present nearly everywhere. In swampy rural Florida, this conflict comes to a head when an outspoken, land-poor local landowner contracts to host a two-day mug-bogging event on her swampland. Emotions run high, tensions ignite, and somebody is angry enough to kill.

Author cares about her characters, and plans her mysteries so that protagonist Eve has plenty of opportunities, and reasons, to grow and evolve, to make the choice to be "the better person" and to see all sides of a controversy, both personal and translational.